Offering hope, comfort and support for survivors of suicide loss.
What exactly constitutes strength after a suicide loss? There is little I remember in the first weeks/months after losing my dad to suicide. While it all seems like a blur, I do remember the comments I received about my strength. "You are so strong" people would tell me. Still to this day I have people comment on my strength. My response, "What other choice do I have?" The pain of losing a loved one to suicide is overwhelming. It ...
Leaning into the pain after a suicide loss is not easy to do. We find ourselves in a place we have never been before. The world around us suddenly feels unfamiliar. The people around us seem like strangers. After the shock wears off, and the distractions end, we find ourselves experiencing a new kind of pain. A pain that has more intensity than anything we have felt before. It is uncomfortable, it is unfamiliar, and it is scary. Our first ...
As a survivor of a suicide loss I know the isolating feeling that accompanies the loss. People don't know what to say, so often times they don't say anything at all. Translation to the person who just lost someone to suicide: "I don't care." "Are they judging me or the person I lost?" "I am all alone." "Nobody will understand so why should I even talk about it." These beliefs often lead to isolation, and I will tell you one thing we actually ...
As a survivor, I think it can be hard to not allow your loved ones' final act to trump the life that they lived. For it is that last act that caused us the pain that we feel in the present. Combine that with the stigma and shame of suicide and suddenly the memories that occurred before their death become a distant memory. I love talking about my dad. It reminds me of the time we had prior to his death. It reminds me of who I am, and where I ...
Today, we welcome guest blogger Kenneth, who is one of many brave readers who knew ahead of time suicide might occur with a loved one. Kenneth details the difficult but loving place he came to, accepting the wishes and loss of his brother.
The Suicide Of My Best Friend and Brother
"I did not accept the death of my best friend and brother as being real at first. I was so terrified to go to his family’s house and help sort out his things. But, it ...
